1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data sheet, a data-sheet creating device, an information-printing device, an information-management system and a recording medium storing a program readable by the data-sheet creating device for controlling the data-sheet creating device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 7-121673 discloses a method and an apparatus for supplying information. According to the method and the apparatus for supplying information, text information expressed in letters and bar-coded information equivalent to the text information is printed on a single sheet of paper by relating the bar-coded information to the text information. In a case in which the text information is to be used by an electronic media, the bar-coded information is read, and information related to the bar-coded information is outputted from the electronic media. According to the above-described method, information equivalent to the text information is recorded as a bar code on the single sheet of paper. However, in fact, output information corresponding to the bar code must be searched, and outputted to a user. Thus, a storage unit is always necessary for storing the corresponding output information. In other words, the bar code holds only identification information about information outputted by the electronic media.
On the other hand, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-282422 discloses a printed matter. Visible information is recorded on a recording sheet (the printed matter). Additionally, address information is invisibly recorded on the recording sheet so that the address information corresponds to a part in the visible information, the part corresponding to related information stored at an address indicated by the address information in a magnetic disk device. Furthermore, marks are visibly recorded on the recording sheet, indicating that the above-described related information is stored in the magnetic disk device.
As a conventional technology related to a recording medium, there exists a card having a rewritable displaying function. In a field of cards owned by individuals, addition of the rewritable displaying function to the card enables displaying of a visible image corresponding to updated contents or specified contents at dealings, for instance, thereby enabling displaying of information necessary for a user at the dealings.
Additionally, with recent advancement of computers and network technologies, consumption of paper by printers and the like has increased. With such increased consumption of paper, destruction of forests, a garbage disposal problem, a temperature rise caused by an increase in an amount of carbon dioxide in the air, and the like, so called environmental problems have been occurring. Accordingly, it is requested to reduce the consumption of paper.
To solve the above-described problem, rewritable paper using a reversible recording material is suggested as a medium equivalent to paper, on which information can be recorded or erased repeatedly. Considering the environmental problems, market needs for rewritable materials including the rewritable paper has risen, and, thus, the use of the rewritable paper is not limited in the field of cards. For instance, a system using a document by printing the document on the rewritable paper is very effective. However, characteristics of a color development speed and a color removal speed on a heat reversible recording medium differ with an individual manufacturer of the heat reversible recording medium and an individual method of compounding ingredients. Thus, unless appropriate color development and removal operations are performed for the individual manufacturer and methods of compounding ingredients, a developed color becomes light, or some colors cannot be removed. Additionally, unevenness of the developed or removed color occurs on the heat reversible recording medium.
However, printing devices on the market perform constant color development and removal operations. In details, a printing device that has a specification matching a characteristic of a single displaying medium can hardly achieve complete color development and removal on various displaying mediums having different characteristics.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a data sheet, a data-sheet creating device, an information-printing device, an information-management system and a recording medium storing a program readable by the data-sheet creating device for controlling the data-sheet creating device.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a data sheet using only a recording sheet such as paper as a medium, by which electronic document data can be distributed or carried with a user, and the user can recognize information recorded on the recording sheet from a text or the like expressed on the recording sheet. Another object of the present invention is to provide a data-sheet creating device that creates the data-sheet, an information-printing device, an information-management system, and a recording medium storing a program readable by the data-sheet creating device for controlling the data-sheet creating device. Yet, another object of the present invention is to provide a data-sheet creating device that can stably print information to or erase information from data-sheets having different color-developing and color-removing characteristics, so that an office environment shifts from an environment in which information is printed on paper, to an environment in which the information is printed on a rewritable data sheet.
The above-described objects of the present invention are achieved by a data sheet readable by a reading device, including a first area storing entire data obtained by encoding all information included in a document, and a second area storing a reduced image of at least a part of the document for a user to preview the document.
The above-described objects of the present invention are also achieved by a data-sheet creating device that records data on a data sheet, the data sheet including a first area and a second area, the data-sheet creating device including a data-recording unit recording an entire document in the first area by encoding the entire document to a code readable by a reading device, and recording a reduced image of at least a part of the document in the second area for a user to preview the document.
The above-described objects of the present invention are also achieved by a recording medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to create a data sheet including a fist area and a second area, the program including the steps of recording an entire document on the first area by encoding the entire document to a code readable by the computer, and recording a reduced image of at least a part of the document on the second area for a user to preview the document.
The above-described objects of the present invention are also achieved by an information-printing device printing an electronic document, based on a data sheet that includes a first area storing encoded information obtained by encoding an entire document and a second area storing a reduced image of at least a part of the document for a user to preview the document, the information-printing device including a data reading unit reading the encoded information from the data sheet, a decoding unit decoding the encoded information to obtain decoded information, and a printing unit printing information corresponding to at least the part of the document included in the reduced image among the decoded information.
The above-described objects of the present invention are also achieved by an information-management system managing document information by use of a data sheet including a first area and a second area, including a data-recording unit recording an entire document in the first area by encoding the entire document to a code readable by a computer, and recording a reduced image of at least a part of the document in the second area for a user to preview the document; a data reading unit reading the code from the data sheet; a decoding unit decoding the code to obtain decoded document; and a printing unit printing at least the part of the document included in the reduced image among the decoded document.
By use of the data sheet, a user can easily distribute or carry an electronic document data with the user. In addition, the user can recognize contents of the electronic document data by looking at the reduced image printed on the data sheet.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.